MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A state department is investigating a home care facility in Memphis after police say a resident walked away from the place this week and later died in the cold.
The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse says they’ve sent employee(s) to Taylor Brown Garden Healthcare, LLC on Lucy Avenue this week.
Police say one of the residents, Shelley Thompson, walked away from the house she was staying in Tuesday afternoon.
Memphis authorities say the 44-year-old had a dispute with other people staying at the house, and they reported her missing after she left.
“I guess she got tired and thought it was time for her to move,” said resident Stanley Harris. “Despite what was going on with the weather, it didn’t matter to her. She felt she needed to go.”
Thompson’s body was found the next day outside City Hall about 3.5 miles away from the facility.
Officers believe her death could be weather related.
“I just hope her soul rests in peace,” said Harris.
We tried reaching out to Taylor Brown Garden Healthcare, but they hung up on us.
We also went to their office listed on Lucy Avenue, but the people we saw inside did not answer the door.
The State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse says the business has been licensed through them for almost ten years.
The business serves as “a residential facility which provides room, board, and personal care services to two or more individuals unrelated to the owner or operator of the facility who have been diagnosed with a mental illness by a mental health professional.”
State workers say they haven’t received any complaints outside of this recent death about the business.
Officials say Taylor Brown Garden Healthcare has three sites listed for mental health supportive living, with one of them serving the visually impaired.
They have a capacity of 15 people, but one resident said about 20 live there.
State workers say these types of businesses are inspected by the Office of Licensure at least once a year unannounced.